Daughter releases sophomore album, “Not to Disappear”

Emily Afre/Contributing Writer

On January 15, 2016, English indie trio, Daughter, released “Not to Disappear”: a follow up to their 2013 debut LP “If You Leave” via Glassnote Entertainment Group. Previously described as a moody folk project, Daughter intricately experiments with lush dream pop elements and subtle electronics with this well produced record.

Each layer within every track is meticulously placed, creating a density that transcends an audial experience and does not overwhelm.

Steady drum patterns, reverb heavy guitar, and delicate bells work in tandem with each other. Reminiscent of Florence + The Machine, Hundred Waters, and the xx, Daughter carefully executes a more melancholic and passive aggressive sound with “Not to Disappear.”

Vocalist, Elena Tonra, plays her strengths with this record. The vulnerability of her lyricism is raw, honest, and relatable, and is evident throughout the entire album. Her soft and hushed vocals are a true complement to the emotional weight that is carried in every song.

In the opening track, “New Ways”, phrases like “There’s something in you/I can’t be without/I just need it here” express the difficulties of “trying to find a way out” of a relationship you still rely on. “How long must I wait for you to become what I need?” “How” further sheds light on the importance of being with someone, where you can give and take the right things to/from each other.

“Numbers”, a single off the record, bring feelings of detachment to the surface with lyrics like “I wish my mouth would still taste you” and “ I feel numb, make me better.”

“Alone/With You” offers perspective on both feeling lonely and feeling alone even in the presence of someone who is meant to give you peace with their company.  “I hate dreaming of being alone/Cause you are never there” and “I hate dreaming of being with you/I hate feeling alone” are words that make you wonder if solitude is better than being with someone who makes you feel like you are alone. Probably so.

Heartache is more often than not a theme used as the platform for songwriters. It may be overdone, but with good reason in Daughter’s case. Tonra sheds skin with “No Care,” a cut with a faster, more jarring pace than Daughter’s previous work. Giving the illusion of apathy, Tonra sings “Because I’m aware, because it hurts that I am in love again.”

She tries to “[sleep] it off” but the heavy heartedness of broken promises cannot escape her. Tonra taunts listeners with stabs at intimacy as she repeats “How I wanted you to promise we would only ever make love.” (No Care) “Don’t you think we’ll be better off without temptation to regress, to fake tenderness?” (To Belong) It is interesting to note, that Tonra made the courageous decision to write about the cracks in intimacy and their psychological effects aside of relationships, rarely ever mentioned in music.

Self Identity is another concept Daughter delves into with the new record. It can be interpreted that another one of the album’s singles, “Doing the Right Thing”, realistically addresses the fear of dementia.

“I’m just fearing one day soon I’ll lose my mind/Then I’ll lose my children/Then I’ll lose my love/Then I’ll sit in silence.” Tonra paints the image of wandering aimlessly at night, calling out for her deceased mother who won’t come back for her, as she goes on to faintly sing “But you will not tell me that/ Cause you know it hurts me every time you say it/ And you know you were doing the right thing.”

Throughout the record, Tonra attempts to be convinced that she cannot lose herself in her love for someone else. In “To Belong,” she explicitly states “ “I don’t want to belong. I don’t want to belong, to you, to anyone.”

However, this does not diminish her desire to be with someone. “Mothers” and “Made of Stone” fall short. These cuts do not leave as lasting of an impression as the remainder of the album.

The songs feel stagnant and fade into the background, but decent enough to not ruin the listening experience of the album as a whole.

There are several themes throughout the record that constitute to its title. Feelings of loneliness and losing oneself are reflected throughout every aspect of the album. The main concept to grasp here is to accept the pain that comes with love, but what matters most is to retain a sense of self, and not to disappear.

Heartache is more often than not a theme used as the platform for songwriters. It may be overdone, but with good reason in Daughter’s case.